By ANNE GEARAN, AP Diplomatic Writer
WASHINGTON - Anti-American cleric Muqtada al-Sadr fled Iraq for Iran ahead of a security crackdown in Baghdad and the arrival of 21,500 U.S. troops sent by President Bush to quell sectarian violence, a senior U.S. official said Tuesday.
Al-Sadr left his Baghdad stronghold some weeks ago, the official said, and is believed to be in Tehran, where he has family. The official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss U.S. monitoring activities, said fractures in al-Sadr's political and militia operations may be part of the reason for his departure. The move is not believed to be permanent, the official said.
Word of al-Sadr's departure coincides with an announcement that Iraq will close its borders with Iran and Syria for 72 hours as part of the drive to end the violence that has threatened to divide the capital along sectarian lines.
2007-02-13 13:38:55 · 16 answers · asked by Fearless Leader 4 in Politics & Government ➔ Other - Politics & Government
Good move by Bush to flush out these radical Islamic clerics and Iranian sympathizers...
As soon as they realize the borders will get closed and they will be trapped in Iraq.....they scatter to their 'real' home like cockroaches scatter to the darkness when you turn the lights on.
He's definitely got them scared...and yes, he is smart enough to relize the REAL problem is Iran.
2007-02-13 13:44:22 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 5⤋
By Jonathan S. Landay, McClatchy Newspapers
WASHINGTON - A day after the U.S. military charged Iran's government with shipping powerful explosive devices to Shiite Muslim fighters in Iraq to use against American troops, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said Monday that he hasn't seen any intelligence to support the claim.
Marine Gen. Peter Pace's comment could make it harder for the Bush administration, its credibility about Iran questioned because of its false pre-war claims about Saddam Hussein, to make its case that Iranian meddling in Iraq is fueling sectarian violence and causing U.S. casualties.
At a briefing Sunday in Baghdad, U.S. military officials said the al-Quds Force, an elite Iranian paramilitary organization, is sending arms into Iraq that include bombs that shoot molten metal jets through the armor of American tanks and Humvees.
They said these "explosively formed projectiles," or EFPs, have killed 170 U.S. troops and wounded more than 600 others and are "coming from the highest level of the Iranian government."
Asked about the briefing during a visit Monday to Canberra, Australia, Pace said he couldn't substantiate the assertion that the clerical regime in Tehran is shipping such devices to Shiite militias in Iraq.
2007-02-13 23:37:05 · answer #2 · answered by Mike H 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Al Sadr is a radical Shia cleric and Iran is the home of most of the radical Shia clerics in the world. He went to Iran because he feared for his life in Baghdad due to the US troop surge but unless all those US troops stay in Baghdad forever he will be back. But why would Al Sadr ask for bombs from Iran to give to the Iraqi Sunni insurgents who he hates more than the Americans?
2007-02-13 21:46:14 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
When are you Americans going to understand that your Government created the problems starting in the Middle East with the CIA putting the Shah of Iran into power illegally in 1953 and forced them to live under his tyrany until the late 1970's.
Read the following: http://www.fff.org/comment/com0501i.asp
Some of you Americans are so blinded by what your present government tells you when it is all a bunch of lies to go after Irans Oil same as Iraq and the same as where they will be going next in Africa more than likely.
Your government fuels the hatred but you as citizens are so ill informed you we will believe anything you are told. I like Americans but your present government is nothing but a bunch of
WarMongers.
2007-02-13 21:58:04 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 0⤋
So an anti-American cleric going to Iran is supposed to somehow prove that Iran is sending weapons to Iraq??????
Iran has NO obligation to hand over ANYONE to America, especially since Bush has been beating the Iran war drum for the past few years.
On top of that, all I see in this article are proclamations. Not ONE shred of evidence to back up any of their claims. Why should anyone believe one word coming out of the White House of Deception?????
You're a gullible idiot.
...............................
2007-02-13 22:29:22 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
how come the writing on the so called IEDs from Iran had perfect English And why aren't we talking about all the money that the rich Saudies are giving to Sunni We the invading country are stuck in the middle of a civil war . and it another country invaded our country and over threw the goverment , would you fight this invading country ? although the war aginst Iraq was won , the occupation and the peace has been lost
2007-02-13 21:58:05 · answer #6 · answered by crazy_ol_hippie_radical 6 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Many countries in the Middle East are supplying money or weapons to the various factions in Iraq. If that means we should go to war with those countries, that then means Saudi Arabia, too!
Anyone care to attack Saudi Arabia and see what happens to the price of oil and relations with the Middle East?
2007-02-13 22:27:30 · answer #7 · answered by Shelley 3 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Good point! Iran has Been involved from the start. Anyone with a shred of common sense should have been able to see that. Not only Iran but Syria has its finger prints all over too.I hope that Iraq steps up and genuinely closes its borders down.
2007-02-13 21:45:05 · answer #8 · answered by aiminhigh24u2 6 · 1⤊ 4⤋
Why don't you focus on what matters - the fact that we let him know exactly when to leave dumbass!
____________________________________
Please, kids don't play war.
My grandpa never came home from war!
Enough steeling yourself in battles.
Enough shooting sticks made into rifles.
Come on, Aka, get out from the shelter, quick.
And you, Gamid, get down from the watchtower.
Throw down your weapon.
Don't cock your gun.
My neighbor came home from war with both his legs gone.
Old Aina is crying and crying.
War took away her only son.
We shall play soldiers no more.
We shall not kill each other or take each other prisoners of war.
Let's throw all the weapons from the mountaintop down into the abyss
So that such games will forever cease to exist.
Let's break all the cannons, till the last one is gone.
Let's make war forever be gone.
Please, kids, don't play war.
My grandpa never came home from war!
2007-02-13 21:54:09 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 0⤋
did you read the rest of the story? probably not...
i'll fill you in... it goes on to say that they aren't sure that he's there... but they think he's there... kind of like how they thought Iraq had WMD... but that worked out for you guys... right?
and what links do you have to him and the Iran government and are they financing him or giving him troops or weapons... oh, none... yeah, that's what I thought...
in fact, if you read what you posted...it says he's staying with family...
and you may want to tell general pace this... he seems to be looking for proof?
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17129144/
2007-02-13 21:47:51 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 1⤋